It has been a pretty good last couple of months of school. We were very busy with baseball. There was no softball for Elva's age group this year and Mary did not want to do ball (but did attend one practice), but Caeleb did minors, Selman did coach pitch and Lizzy did T-ball, so we were kept busy taking kids too and from practices and games. Pincher creek is as far as Caeleb goes for games and him and I spent a Saturday there. Elva did horse riding lessons on Fridays for May and June and has learned alot.
Lizzy had dental surgery at the end of May (had to get it done while Chis has his benefits) to fix her poor little front teeth and it is so fun to see her pearly whites now. She has a beautiful smile. Come the end of May, the pool opened up in Champion, and the kids and I have really enjoyed swimming there. Mary has made a good little friend in school and they have had many pool dates after school and subsequent sleepovers at our place. Elva continued with her singing lessons this spring and will have a recital next Friday. The boys have been on and off with their piano lessons but we will try to continue with them.
We attended 3 track meets this spring. We had the last ever junior high track meet in Vulcan and Caeleb was able to go to zones in medicine hat for high jump and long jump. Elva got many firsts and seconds in the district meet in Vulcan. She broke the record for long jump, the 400 meter and shot put for Champion grade 6 records. Selman (who got a first in the 3 legged race) and Mary (who got some firsts and seconds in champion) tried their best and that is all that matters. I struggle with track meet. It is hard on many kids. I did fairly well in high jump and long distance running in my day but I was always compared to my sister Camellia (who did better than me) and I have a loud noise phobia (so the noise of the gun at races gave me extensive anxiety). I want my kids to know that I am proud of them when they do well (I think Elva is remarkable in sports) but what matters most to me and in life, is to always be humble and kind (like the song), be a friend, do your best and to not give up.
The biggest event of these 2 months was Caeleb's grade 9 graduation. I can't believe he is going to high school in the Fall. Champion teachers did a wonderful job putting on a grad for the 10 grade 9 students. Thank you!!! Caeleb got the band award as he has done amazing on the Saxophone and really has a musical talent. He has done a lot of the main parts in their band presentations and it was fun to hear them at school spring fling.
We have recieved a big blessing from Heaven with the 2 days of heavy rain we received a couple of weeks ago. The crops look amazing. Caeleb, Elva and I volunteered at the Tin Man during the rain and it was cold and bone chilling wet and windy but we didn't mind. I came home that day and had a nice hot bath.
Lizzy had her 5th birthday on June 20th. I can't believe she is 5! It was a rainy day but we had a pinata in the attic, a homemade unicorn cake and she got a bike. We had Mary, Elva and Selman's friends from school over and they helped us celebrate. We also had a family from Carmangay over who is new to Champion school and they are a blessing for us and the town. I am excited for my littles to grow bigger and experience life. I hope they always remember the example of their Savior and the hope he brings to life.
Chris applied for 8 teaching jobs in the last couple of months but did not hear back from any of them. I was quite upset that he did not hear back after applying for a part time teaching job in Champion. It would have been nice if the Principal (as he knows us well) had care enough or at least had the awareness and considerstion to let us know he would not get interviewed for the position. It has taught me to be considerate of others. I am not perfect at that but I have a renewed desire to try. It kind of feels like we are inadvertently being pushed out of Palliser and Champion but we are trying to hold on. I love this community.
I am working more again (about 3 days a week) and Chris will get employment insurance for about 6 months (or until he finds a job), and we get child tax benefits as per usual. We will be ok. I am slowly learning to have patience and to live from year to year and day to day, trying to enjoy the moment.
I am often perplexed by people who live from buy to buy or vacation to vacation. I know people who vacation all the time, like 2 to 3 cruises/resorts a year. There is nothing wrong with that. If I am honest, I am a touch jealous about it as I love to travel. But we had our amazing once if a lifetime RV road trip last summer. It was for the kids and is a memory the older ones will have forever! I want to be able to live a balanced life, experiencing some vacations (maybe one big one every few years), but also giving to others. When Chris was a student at the university of Calgary, he paid to stay a few months in the house of a couple in Calgary while we were living at the farm. I think this couple used the money to help fund one of their several yearly cruises. It has made me think that when I am retired, I don't want to be like that couple. I want to help starving students and people who are having a hard time (like we were) and to let people live with us for free (like I did for a friend and for my brother when we were in our little place in Calgary). I want to learn to sacrifice for others even if they are not immediate family.
Anyways, moving on. I have a renewed desire to read books and am trying to read the series Love comes softly (the author is from Champion). I love the olden days! I am a little house on the Prarie type of girl! There is a small farmstead down the road (I love to walk there) with only a old barn on it and I would have been just as happy to live there in a little manufactured home without a manicured yard. I am more of the natural type. I hope a family can buy that property someday and be our neighbors. I will continue to try and live a simple life like the pioneers did. I was talking to a "bus life" family at the pool the other day who spend their winters in the southern states. Sounds intriguing to me (maybe could do it for a year when I retire) but I am too invested in wanting to help out community, so I don't think Van life is for us.
Well, life us good! The land is beautiful. Mom works so hard keeping up the yard and I want to help her more and more and Caeleb usually mows the lawns. I am so grateful for my parents and pray I can help them, and have the continuing strength and insight to do so, in the ways they need it.
I love listening to the birds outside right now. We are excited for the summer. We have been blessed.
